Mountain View County has donated $500,000 over five years towards the Werklund Agriculture Institute (WAI) at Olds College.
The move came by way of motion at the June 14 regularly scheduled council meeting, followed by an official cheque-passing ceremony at the college the following day.
The funds will specifically be used to support the WAI's Producer Mentor Program, which will see students work with agriculture producers in full year-long cycle agriculture production.
A big part of the program will include production competitions, which will take place annually. Students will be involved in the application of smart agriculture practices, data gathering, analysis and critical decision-making.
Due to the support of Mountain View County for the mentor program, this dedicated aspect of the WAI will be named as the Mountain View County Production Competition Program, officials said.
Reeve Bruce Beattie told dignitaries and guests at the Olds College ceremony that the contribution of taxpayers' dollars will help promote the long-term health of the region's agriculture industry.
"In order for agriculture as an industry to thrive, education is paramount," said Beattie. "We believe that there is a role for government to invest in education, and for government to support the efforts of the private sector and private individuals when they do the same.
"These public-private partnerships can be beneficial in providing the programming and infrastructure necessary to deliver the educational components that ensure that today's and tomorrow's learners are prepared for the ever-evolving world of modern agriculture."
Olds College president H.J. Thompson said, "The support we have received from Mountain View County is a testament to the strong partnership between our college and the county and to our shared values and commitment towards agriculture, community and economic development."
Tanya McDonald, vice-president of advancement at the college, added, "This gift from Mountain View County will utilize the matching component of the $16-million donation made by David Werklund and Susan Norman in March of this year."
The ceremony also included the unveiling of a plaque recognizing the county as a Founder's level donor to the college.
